


The Elf

by suckmylembas



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure, Character Death, Durins die, Except for my OC, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gandalf is a cheeky bastard, Loss, Love, Romance, Thorin is a dick, Unrequited Love, he lives, maybe smut in the future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-21 23:22:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13751367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suckmylembas/pseuds/suckmylembas
Summary: A retelling of the beloved story of Tolkien’s The Hobbit, with a few new characters, a few new feelings, and the same adventure as before. New look, same great taste and all that. The story follows an elf named Ialwen, who lives in the shire and is very close friends with Bilbo Baggins. She goes on the journey to protect her friend, and begins to fall in love with the youngest nephew of Thorin Oakenshield, Dwili, brother of Fili and Kili. But history of her past and her own fears and demons catch up to her. As you would expect, the journey is not all camping under the stars and sharing stories around the fire. But the experience shapes her and changes her long life for the better, brings old and new friends alike into her life, and causes her to find the greatest treasure of all. Self worth.





	1. The Cheerful Meeting

In a hole in the ground, beneath a hill, there lived a hobbit of The Shire. And although many stories have been written involving this brave and sneaky hobbit, this story is not about him. It is the story of the companion of this hobbit, an elf living in the shire. Her name was Ialwen. She was good friends with this hobbit, who we know was named Bilbo Baggins. Ialwen was an oddity to see in The Shire. Walking the dirt paths of Hobbiton she stuck out like sore thumb amongst the tiny people that inhabited the town. But the hobbits didn’t mind her, she had earned her place amongst them. She was a famed hunter in those parts, selling her game to the butcher and earning a living. She also grew a very excellent type of pipe weed in the garden outside her own hobbit hole, which was just a little bit deeper to accommodate her height. The home had been built for her as a gift from the people of Hobbiton when she’d slain a wolf that had ventured into the orchards where the children liked to play. She was a part of the community from then on, no longer seen as an outsider. She had gotten used to the ways of life that they lived in Hobbiton, peaceful and relaxing. She’d also grown accustomed to eating more meals in the day, even though she didn’t eat nearly as much as the hobbits did. She could outdrink them though, being that she was still used to Dorwinion wine. She had originally come from the woodland realm, an important trade partner to Dorwinion. Dorwinion wine was heady and strong and nothing compared to it. Not even the brownest ale in the Shire.   
Now, Ialwen’s story began just shortly after the story of Bilbo Baggins, after Bilbo had already forgotten that he’d invited the wizard Gandalf over for afternoon tea. After Thorin Oakenshield and his company of dwarves had arrived. Ialwen been rabbit hunting that day and had thought she might pop by her friend Bilbo’s home and they could make a stew for dinner. She entered through his garden gate, which was unlocked like usual, and then strode up the round red door. Her petite and calloused hand knocked on the painted wood of the door three times. To Ialwen’s surprise it was not Bilbo Baggins who answered the door, but a dwarf she’d never met. His skin was tan and dark and his long hair was black and wavy. His beard was thick but trimmed close to his face. His brown eyes captivated her for a moment, drawing her in to his gaze. She blinked, and then the surprise hit her all over again. “I’m looking for my friend who lives here, Bilbo Baggins? He said nothing to me about having guests over tonight. I apologize if I am interrupting anything.” She said, unsure of why Bilbo would have a dwarf in his house anyway. He had never seemed like the type to befriend the dwarves. The dwarf in the doorway shook his head and stepped aside for Ialwen to enter the hall, bowing low.  
“Dwili, at your service. You’re not interrupting anything. You’re a little late for dinner, we’ve had an early one.” The dwarf said, eyeing the rabbits slung over Ialwen’s shoulder. “But Master Baggins might enjoy your company all the same. We’re having some music in the parlor if you would like to join.”   
Ialwen stepped over the threshold into the warm and inviting hobbit hole that was owned by her friend. At this point she was very confused by what Dwili was saying. Who was ‘we’? Bilbo and himself? Or were there others? Her brow knit into a furrow, she followed Dwili into the parlor, the soft sound of flute and harp lulling them into the room. When they entered, Ialwen’s jaw dropped. As she counted, there were thirteen dwarves in Bilbo’s home, along with a wizard. The dwarves were singing, a song of their homeland. It sounded almost like a death march, as if they were about to embark on a journey that they did not expect to return from alive. It brought tears to Ialwen’s gray eyes. She stood in the doorway and listened, leaning against the round arch. Salty tears slipped down her face silently. She didn’t even notice the dwarf who’d let her in was staring at her. As the song finished, she brought her white sleeves up to her pale face and wiped the tears away. “Well Bilbo, if I’d known you were to be having company, I would’ve brought my violin.” She said, smiling across the room at her hobbit friend, who looked exasperated and confused.   
“If I’d known I would’ve bought more groceries…” She heard Bilbo mutter under his breath. All the dwarves looked to Ialwen at the sound of her voice in the door. They looked confused and the oldest of all inquired who she was. “This is my friend Ialwen. She visits with the fruits of a hunt every once in a while. Are those rabbits dear?”  
“Yes… I thought we could make a lovely stew. But it seems like you have already eaten? And like you’re very confused by all the dwarves in your home… I’m going to assume you have something to do with this Gandalf.” Ialwen said, turning toward the wizard who was smoking a long pipe in front of the fire. Ialwen had met Gandalf before on her travels before settling down in the shire. She was aware of his affinity for mischief.   
“I do believe you’re not giving me enough credit Ialwen. Although, you are right. I am the one behind this merry gathering. You should stay with us, I think you might find it worth your while if you’d like to go adventuring again.” Replied the wizard with a chuckle. The dwarf leaning on the mantle let out a gruff sounding noise and Ialwen’s attention was drawn to him. His hair was black and streaked with gray in some places and his beard was short and kempt. His eyes were blue and his skin was pale. He carried himself with a way that made Ialwen think he was the leader of the company of dwarves. When he spoke, his voice was deep and commanding.   
“I did not agree to a sixteenth member of the company, if that’s what you’re trying to achieve Gandalf. Especially not a stranger. An elf stranger at that.” He grumbled. Before Bilbo or Gandalf could pipe up, Ialwen spoke.   
“First of all, I never said I was interested in the proposition. It doesn’t matter that I definitely am, you can’t just assume those things. Secondly, what does my being an elf have to do with anything besides old fashioned prejudices? An old grudge against my people perhaps? Third, I’m staying whether you want me to or not. My dear friend Bilbo is not as strong willed as I am and I seriously doubt that he could handle dealing with someone as stubborn as you on his own.” Ialwen said, then she turned and crossed the room, sitting down cross legged on the wooden floor next to Bilbo. She stared at the leader, daring him to challenge her with her gaze. He knew they had to get on with the meeting though and simply sneered at her. Dwili and two other dwarves who looked younger than the rest sat down next to her on the floor as well. A map and key were brought out and the meeting was called to order. The dwarves were going on a journey to the lonely mountain. The old dwarven kingdom of Erebor. They were going to reclaim their homeland from the fire drake, Smaug. Ialwen had been right to assume that the leader she now knew as Thorin was a figure of authority. Thorin was the heir to the throne of the kingdom under the mountain. Gandalf had been responsible for choosing the fifteenth member of the company, and it seemed he’d chosen Bilbo and told all the dwarves that he was a burglar. Ialwen thought that was absolutely genius. Anything hunting the dwarves knew the smell of dwarf. They would pass right over Bilbo because he was small and nobody knew the smell of hobbits since they never went too far from the shire. Bilbo would easily be able to escape an ambush and find a way to help the dwarves. It was the same with the dragon. They needed a burglar who wasn’t a dwarf that could go into the mountain and see if the dragon was awake or even alive. Someone who could search for the king’s jewel, the arkenstone, without disturbing the sleeping beast. But now her own joining of the company was on the table. Thorin’s nephews, Fili, Kili, and Ialwen’s newest friend Dwili suddenly bombarded her with questions.  
“Have you ever been in a fight before?” Asked the oldest, Fili.   
“Yes, I have. I’ve never fought an orc before, but there are creatures fouler than orcs in the woodland realm these days. I had to fight off a pack of giant spiders on my own to get through. The children of Ungoliant are vicious creatures. Other than that, I’ve fought off bandits and brigands alike. I’ve been in more than one scuffle with wolves. And these days I do most of the game hunting in this region of The Shire.” Ialwen explained to them, the rabbits she’d brought a telltale sign of her hunting skills, although Bilbo had put them away for her.   
“What’s your weapon of choice?” Asked Kili, the middle son.  
“Bow. I prefer long ranged combat and stealth as opposed to running into a battle with my blades out. Although I do keep a pair of sparring daggers on me for the off chance I end up in close combat.” Ialwen answered, pulling her daggers from their sheaths and showing them off. They were simple, not decorative. She’d picked them up from the blacksmith in Bree on her way into The Shire. After they’d seen them, she put them away at her hips on her belt.   
“How did you end up in The Shire in the first place? And why Hobbiton? You might be more welcomed closer to the river you know.” Asked Dwili, who seemed to know a little bit about the Hobbit way of life. He watched her curiously, hoping for an answer. She smiled a little sadly back at him.   
“Well… I used to live in the woodland realm. That’s where I was born. I left when the darkness invaded Greenwood. For years I simply was a wanderer, traveling and not knowing where I was going. I thought I’d simply stop in Imladris but I ended up accidentally overshooting it when I chose my path through the Misty Mountains. Once I realized I had, I ended up just deciding to move on. I crossed the Lone Lands on foot. An orc pack chased me from the Lone Lands all the way through Bree. They shot me down right on the bridge between Buckland and Stock. If we go on this journey together you might see the scars from my wounds someday. Well, the watch in Stock were able to fight off the orcs. Although I think they got bloody lucky. Most hobbits I know can’t even fight off a small dog, let alone a pack of orcs. Perhaps they had help from the Buckland watch as well, I don’t know. I was unconscious. When I came to, I learned that the Hobbits had healed me. After I was healed, they sent me on my way. I continued to cross the land on foot. But as I moved on, I fell in love with the land. The rolling hills, the abundant farmland. This place really is beautiful. By the time I reached Hobbiton I had decided I wanted to stay. And I’ve been living here ever since.” As Ialwen finished her story, she realized everyone was staring at her and listening intently. Even Thorin had perked up his ears to the tale. Dwili had a smile on his face.  
“You’re kind of like us then, aren’t you? We too were forced to abandon our home to a dark force and wander until we found a place we could settle down. But it’s time for us to finally return to our home. It would be a great help to us to have someone with us who had traveled the road before.” Dwili told her, staring into her gray eyes. Ialwen’s laughter filled the room. She didn’t see the way the laughter made Dwili’s smile grow wider.   
“You do not have to convince me mellon. I am already going on this journey. I doubt Bilbo could do it on his own.” Ialwen replied, her smile growing as well. It seemed like they were beginning a strong and beautiful friendship in this very room. Bilbo sighed.  
“If she’s going, I’m going.” He told to Gandalf. “Look at those four and tell me you could separate them.” He motioned over to Ialwen and the brothers who had begun to pass around mugs of ale in celebration of the reclaiming of Erebor. They were becoming fast friends already, laughing and making jokes. “I know she won’t go if I don’t, no matter how much she wants to. She loves the Shire, yes. But I’ve been seeing it for a while now. She’s longing for the road again. Homesickness makes her want to travel so that she can distract herself from how much she misses her home. And from the looks of that map, we may have to travel through her homeland to get to Erebor. I cannot deny her that chance.” Bilbo explained. Then he took the contract and read over it once more. Then he held his breath and signed it. Everyone cheered and drank their ale. And then the contract was passed to Ialwen, who signed it without hesitation and then drained her mug of ale swiftly in celebration. She didn’t even feel a buzz. She was an elf after all.   
Preparations were made for the dwarves to stay the night in Bilbo’s hobbit hole, although he didn’t have enough beds to accommodate everyone. Ialwen offered to take a few down the road in her own home since she’d have to go home and pack her things anyway. So Fili, Dwili, Kili, Bombur, and Gloin ended up leaving Bilbo’s home with her and walking down the road to Ialwen’s home. She let them in and then showed them to their sleeping accomodations. After she thought everyone was settled in, she went to her bedroom and grabbed a backpack off the hook on the wall. Inside she neatly packed a bedroll, a change of clothes, and her pipe and leaves. She also packed a brand new bar of soap, although suspected she’d have to purchase another bar on the journey. It wasn’t going to be a swift weeklong excursion after all. The last thing she put in her bag was her whetstone. It was small, and she’d need to keep her blades sharp. After that, she went out into her front hall and set it on the floor underneath the hooks where the cloaks were hung. Then she picked up her quiver from the floor and counted the arrows within it. She had dwindling numbers due to her hunt. She usually was able to retrieve arrows while hunting but sometimes they broke. She sighed and went into the dining room. Her dining table was covered in crafting materials and things of the like. She never actually ate at her table. She slung the quiver over the back of the chair and then opened up a box on the table that had arrow making supplies within it. It seemed she wouldn’t be getting as much sleep as she’d hoped for. She’d fallen into the slow rhythm of making arrows for about an hour when she heard the creak of a bedroom door and the slow and sleepy shuffling of a dwarf heading her way. Dwili followed the candlelight into the dining room and found Ialwen there, diligently working.   
“Have you not slept yet?” He asked, leaning against the doorway. Ialwen looked up and smiled sleepily before nodding.  
“I’m making arrows. I haven’t the money to buy them every time I run out on our journey so I just wanted to make sure I had enough.” She explained. “But what about you? Did you need something?” She asked.   
“Just a glass of water.” Dwili replied. Ialwen got up and led Dwili into the kitchen. She grabbed a glass cup out of a cabinet and then grabbed the pitcher on the counter. She looked inside and swirled the water around. Then she sighed and put the cup down.  
“This water has been sitting here since this morning. I’ll run out and fetch some fresh water for you.” She said. Pitcher in hand, she went outside before Dwili could protest. She returned with cold water, pumped right from the stream running through the town. Even in the summer, the water was always good and cool. Entering the kitchen again, she poured Dwili a fresh glass of water. Then she decided to grab another cup and poured another glass for herself. She set the pitcher down on the counter and passed Dwili’s water to him with a yawn. “Here. Fresh from the stream.” She said before picking up her glass and taking a sip.  
“You didn’t have to go outside Ialwen. I would’ve been perfectly fine. But thank you all the same.” He said, sipping his water and leaning against the counter.  
There they both stood, sipping water and leaning against the counter, listening to the summer breeze outside and the settling noises of the underground home. All was silent for a while. But Ialwen was exhausted from her hunt and from all the unexpected social interaction that had occured that day, and simply from the hour. And eventually Dwili sighed and put down the now empty cup. He took hers too, and she was too sleepy to protest. He assured her that Kili would lend her arrows if she needed any. And then he led her to her bedroom and sat her down on the bed. He kneeled on the floor and untied her brown boots. He almost had trouble getting it untied. Elven fingers were thin and nimble and could tie very tight knots, and could untie them just as easy. Meanwhile the fingers of Dwarves were stubby and thick, Making it hard for Dwili to untie Ialwen’s laces. But once he got them untied, he pulled off her boots and her socks and almost gagged. He hadn’t even thought of the fact that elven feet get sweaty and start to stink just the same as everyone else’s. Ialwen giggled sleepily at his reaction.   
“I’ve been on my feet all day. I don’t know what you expected.” She murmured. He shook his head and regained his composure before standing back up. He wasn’t going to try and undress her and get her in her pajamas. He figured that if she wanted that, she could do that on her own.   
“Sleep, Ialwen.” Dwili said, putting a hand on her shoulder and laying her back on her bed. Then he turned and headed for the door. He paused when he heard Ialwen’s voice calling out to him.  
“Dwili? Thank you…” She said softly. Dwili turned and nodded, smiling at her. Then he left her on her own. She was too tired to bother with pajamas. She rarely bothered with them anyway. So she ended up simply foregoing clothes all together. She removed her white blouse and her brown leggings and undershirt. Then she pulled the covers over her, falling asleep in simply her underwear. She only ever really wore pajamas in winter when it was cold. She was grateful to Dwili and his insistence that she sleep. She needed her rest for the journey ahead of her. 


	2. The Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The company sets off on their journey and begins moving towards Bree. Friendships grow, bets are placed and won, and realizations are made.

The next morning was peaceful in every way. A sort of calm before the storm. Ialwen woke before everyone else, to a nightmare. But when she woke, the sun was just starting to rise over the horizon and her bedroom was coated with the pale orange glow of first light. Everything was quiet, except for the chirping of the summer Wrens in their nests and the muffled sound of the dwarves snoring in the next room over. Ialwen let herself linger in bed for a few minutes, enjoying the peace. This was one of the reasons she loved the Shire. The mornings were so peaceful, especially before everyone except the farmers were awake. She was going to miss this. But she was ready to travel. She needed to get back on the road again anyway. She missed the excitement.   
After laying in bed for a few moments, Ialwen sat up and got out of bed. She walked over to her wardrobe and opened the doors. She thought for a few moments before picking out a green shirt. The sleeves were cut off at her shoulders and the material was meant to be fitted to her body. Then she pulled out a pair of beige leggings that would fit to her body in the same way. They were thicker than most so they would be best for riding. She figured the company had ponies, but she was too tall to ride a pony. She’d run out and pick up her own horse from the Hobbiton stables while the dwarves ate breakfast. After picking out her clothes, she got dressed and pulled her soft brown hair back into a bun so that it would not get in her way. The final touch after that was her belt, which held her knives and a small pouch that had a needle and thread in it that she carried for on the fly mending. After that, she went into the kitchen and began cooking up a quick breakfast. They didn’t have time for anything huge, so she went for simple bacon and eggs, fried in a pan over the fire in her stove. The smell of breakfast had exactly the effect that Ialwen had desired. It had roused her guests and drawn them to the kitchen. “Good morning sleepyheads.” She greeted with a giggle when she heard them sit down at the small dining table in the kitchen. She got a large platter and put all the breakfast she’d made onto it, then put it on the table along with plates and forks so that the boys could help themselves.   
“Oh god. Don’t tell me you’re a morning person.” Muttered Kili, who seemed like he really didn’t want to be up that early.  
“Only when I wake up on my own. If someone wakes me up against my will though? Prepare for a grumpy morning from me. Although I’m surprised I got up as early as I did. I never get up before nine if I can help it.” Ialwen explained. “Now dig in, we can’t be hungry for the beginning of this journey.” As soon as she said it was okay, the five dwarves dug into their breakfasts happily. Ialwen pulled an extra chair up for herself and sat in between Dwili and Bombur. She poured herself a cup of tea and offered a cup to everyone else. Ialwen had to admit that she’d grown quite fond of tea since moving to the Shire.   
“So… you were both up quite late last night.” Fili observed, gesturing to Dwili and Ialwen. “Anything you wish to admit before we set off on this perilous journey.”  
“Oh please, I was making arrows and Dwili got up for a glass of water.” Ialwen rolled her eyes. She was falling in quite happily with the three brothers. After just one night, she felt like they were going to be her closest friends on this adventure. But she also knew that she would not be treated like one of the boys at first. She knew exactly the kind of teasing a young dwarf prince could come up with at the littlest things. Luckily it looked like Kili was on her side for now, which we will find out quite soon was quite uncharacteristic of the dwarf.   
“Leave her be, brother. There will be plenty of time for teasing on the road.”  
“Exactly what I was thinking. Eat your breakfast Fili.” Piped up Dwili, which earned chuckles all around the table, ever from Gloin and Bombur, who were simply watching with interest. Fili began pouting, but the rest of the breakfast was filled with laughter and jokes, and Bombur helped Ialwen with the washing up while everyone else packed their things. Bombur had been so tired the night before that he’d simply fallen asleep without unpacking anything, so he had time to help. After everything had been packed up and the kitchen was clean, the six members of the company left Ialwen’s home, locking the door securely behind them. Ialwen began leading them down the road to the stables near the bywater, where the entire company was to meet.   
Dwili watched their elven companion as they walked. She was really in her element there in the Shire. Her tied back hair exposed her neck and pronounced collarbones. She held her face up to bask in the warm summer sunlight and her chest moved subtly as she inhaled the morning air. He’d dreamt about her the night before. Almost lucidly, he’d dreamt about her. They’d just met, and he could barely comprehend what was going on in his heart and mind, but every time she smiled, he found himself doing the same. Gloin was the first to notice on their walk, and he nudged Fili and Kili. The brothers were confused, but Gloin explained in whispered tones to them. Dwili had found his One. Even if he didn’t know it yet, he’d found the one person he’d ever love in his entire life. For dwarves fell in love only once in their lives. Some never found their loves. Dwili would’ve been considered lucky in any other circumstances, especially given his young age. But they were about to embark on a dangerous journey. A journey that would test them, inside and out. It would be unbearable for one if the other should perish on the way to reclaim Erebor. In so many ways it would be the worst torture imaginable. Still the group was hopeful. They would not push the two together, but they would not keep them apart. Gloin told Fili and Kili to inform Thorin about this development as soon as they could be alone with him.  
Meanwhile, Ialwen had started becoming giddy. She was excited for the road ahead. The fear of peril had yet to set in. The company would soon see how much of a warrior she really was, see the endless battles she fought that nobody had seen in a long time. Nobody but Bilbo anyway. And he was worried about her as they met at the stables. He fussed over her, making sure she was alright and that she’d be okay in such a large band of people. All but Gandalf put no stock into his fussings, convinced they were simply the rambling words of a hobbit about to be thrust further out of his comfort zone than he’d ever been. Gandalf, however, knew everything. For he was wise and knew a fair bit about Ialwen already. He shooed Bilbo off though, seeing as she was fine for the time being.  
They all boarded their mounts and the company set off towards Breeland. The ride was calm and easy for the first couple hours, despite Bilbo stopping the group and wanting to go back because he forgot his pocket handkerchief. But they did not turn around, not for that. Ialwen pitied Bilbo a little bit. It really seemed he had no idea what he was getting himself into. And although she believed his Took blood would take over eventually, and he’d relax a little more, she worried for him for now. She’d try and help him as best she could though, that was the reason she’d come on this journey in the first place. But her mind wandered off towards Dwili, the youngest brother in the line of Durin. He’d been on her mind more than once. She found him handsome beyond belief, that was true. She couldn’t get his eyes out of her head. His sleepy gaze from the night before was stuck in her mind as onward they rode. She bit her lip and looked backwards at the subject of her thoughts, who was bringing up the rear with his brothers, making sure that nobody got left behind. She was surprised to find him staring back at her and she quickly turned her head back around. She felt her cheeks heating up, afraid she’d been caught. But then she looked back again, and smiled. For he too looked just as embarrassed. She let her horse stall and fall back so that she was riding next to the brothers, in between Fili and Kili. “How are you boys doing?” She asked, smiling at them.  
“We’re alright, just bored is all. It’s a day’s ride to Bree if we keep going at this speed. We’re trying to come up with conversation, but all we can think of is how bored we are.” Kili explained, basically falling asleep against the strong neck of his pony. They didn’t really have to focus on driving, the ponies would follow the rest of the group as they were trained to. Ialwen hummed and put a hand on her chin in thought.   
“Hmm... “ Ialwen’s eyes suddenly lit up with an idea. “I know! Let’s play the fortunately and unfortunately game! One person starts with saying fortunately and then finishes the sentence with something fortunate. Then the next person says unfortunately and then says something unfortunate about what the last person just said. For example…. Fortunately, it’s a beautiful summer day, unfortunately it’s going to get hotter than Bombur’s asscrack when midday hits us.” Ialwen explained. The boys hadn’t been expecting the vulgarness of that example, so they immediately started cackling.That was all it took for them to agree to the game, and soon they had almost the entire company joining in on the fun, even Gandalf taking a shot at it. The only ones that didn’t play were Thorin and Dwalin, Thorin because he was not in the mood for foolishness (when was he ever really though?) and Dwalin out of his sense of duty to his king. He didn’t want Thorin to feel stupid for being the only one not playing the game.  
Eventually, just as had been predicted by the Example Ialwen had given before starting the game, the sun rose high in the sky and the heat began beating down on the company. Still, they tried to keep chipper, for it was no use complaining before they’d even truly begun. By midday, they’d reached the edge of the Shire. But that meant the cool breezes coming off the water had faded, and any type of breeze became a treasure to the heavily armored dwarves. It was Bofur, who started the complaints, exclaiming that he’d do anything for a cold pint of ale in that summer heat. Soon everyone was fantasizing about how happy they’d be when they made it to the center of Breeland and the sign above the door of the prancing pony graced their vision with its promise of a hot meal, a cold beer, and a soft bed. The closer they got, the happier they seemed. The sun began setting as they entered the western gate of the town.  
As soon as they reached the Prancing Pony Inn, Thorin instructed the company to leave the ponies in the stables for guests behind the inn, and told them to bring all the supplies inside to be kept in the inn rooms for the night. There had been an uprise in Brigands in the area as of late, and Thorin didn’t want any of their goods stolen. They all went inside and were greeted with the warmth of candlelight, the smell of alcohol and pipe smoke and roast Breeland beef, and the sound of cheerful music and people dancing upon the floor. Ialwen was filled with cheer at it all. No matter how far from home they were, inns like this would always remind her and Bilbo both of the Shire. Gandalf spoke to the innkeep about rooms as they all filled in. Ialwen shoved her backpack onto Fili and ran for the toilets and Kili laughed at his brother. Gandalf didn’t have enough coin for Ialwen to sleep in her own room unfortunately so he improvised, placing Bilbo and the three brothers in a room with her. There were only four beds in the room, but Gandalf figured Bilbo could fit into a bed with someone and knew that Ialwen would be the most comfortable sleeping in the same bed as Bilbo than anyone else.   
Once everyone had settled in, they all returned to a couple of tables near the fireplace that they’d pulled together. Ialwen sat in between Dwili and Bilbo. A barmaid came over to take all their orders and Kili began flirting with her mercilessly. Ialwen watched him, and Dwili chuckled. “You’re witnessing the master at work.” He murmured to the elf, who giggled at his words.  
“He’s gonna have to try harder than that. A barmaid that beautiful working in a place like this? She’s probably gotten that same line from at least six other guys tonight. I bet I can earn a kiss from her much quicker than Kili can.’ She said, looking back at Dwili with a smirk playing at the corners of her lips/ Dwili was a bit taken aback at the statement at first. He’d never met a woman who fancied other women before. Of course he’d heard of them before, and his young mind had imagined that kind of thing before as well. But once he got past his surprise, he grinned wildly.  
“You do that? I’ll buy all your drinks tonight. But if you don’t, you share my bed instead of Bilbo’s tonight.” Dwili responded, a smirk mirroring Ialwen’s on his face. Now it was Ialwen’s turn to be taken aback. But only for a moment, for she knew she’d be victorious.   
“You’re on my friend.” She said. Then she stood and pushed her chair out. Reaching up, she pulled the pin keeping her hair tie in place, then shook out her long brown locks as she let them down. She pouted her lips ever so slightly to make them appear larger, and then pinched her cheeks to redden them. After that, she strut around the table and sat her rear right down on the table on the other side of the barmaid from Kili. She lightly tapped her shoulder and flashed a smile at the woman.   
“I’m sorry to disturb, I just couldn’t help but notice your lips. It looks like you stained them with blackberry juice. I haven’t been able to find blackberries anywhere yet, and I live in the Shire.” Ialwen started with a small giggle. ‘Where did you get your hands on them?” She asked before placing the tip of her long and slender index finger in between her teeth and gently biting down on it, as if in thought. But really, she was showing off her hands. She’d pulled this routine before and she knew it would work because it was something that attracted her. Girls with long , slender fingers and short fingernails. Girls that showed them off unintentionally. It was a general turn on. Not just for her but for a lot of women who were interested in other women. And as soon as she saw the barmaid’s eyes wander towards her lips, she knew she had her. She knew that even if the woman had never even kissed a woman, she had definitely had her curiosities.   
‘Ah, I didn’t think anyone would notice. But I grow a bush in my garden at home every summer, they make amazing cobbler. And give me a little extra color.” The girl said, her attention completely taken away from Kili already. “They’re so sweet right off the branch. Like candy made by nature.”   
‘Oh, I bet. It must be a struggle wearing it and not just deciding to lick the juice off your lips. I know I’d have a hard time.” Ialwen replied skillfully, knowing she’d place thoughts lip locking in the barmaid’s mind. The girl’s cheeks turned a bit pink and she bowed her head a bit at the thought, her blonde curly bangs falling into her eyes. Ialwen reached out an gently hand and pushed the hair from her face, letting her fingers graze against the girl’s face. “Sorry.” She said afterwards, not pulling her hand away. “Your eyes are just so pretty. I can’t help myself from wanting to look at them.” She said with a giggle. Suddenly the girl’s eyes flashed like she’d made a decision in her mind.   
“Would you like to taste the blackberries?” She asked. “I could take you back to my place and we could pick some for you.” She offered, her cheeks growing even redder as she asked the innocent question. Although ialwen could tell there was less innocent intentions behind those eyes of hers. SHe grinned.  
“Unfortunately I have to stay here with my company. But that doesn’t mean I can’t taste them right here.” Ialwen replied, her eyes glancing down at the girl’s colored lips, and then back up at her eyes slowly. Before Ialwen could say another word the girl had crashed her lips against hers out of impulse. Ialwen returned the kiss happily, the taste of sweet blackberry juice on her tongue. She noticed all the dwarves had gone silent, and decided to wrap her arms around the girl’s thin waist. She wasn’t planning on getting in anyone’s skirts, especially not a poor girl she’d seduced and probably confused, but she was sort of enjoying giving the company a show. She could feel Dwili’s eyes on her back. She especially enjoyed him watching her snog this girl. She didn’t really know why she liked that so much. Perhaps she liked the thought that he might be aroused by the sight? Perhaps she liked the thought that her kissing someone else so passionately might make him want to kiss her even more. She didn’t know where those thoughts were coming from. Somewhere deep inside of her. But one thing was for sure, the whole time she was kissing that barmaid, she was thinking about Dwili.   
She pulled away ever so slightly. “You should get back to work so you don’t get in trouble. Bring me an ale and a plate of that beef I keep smelling, yeah? Bill it to my black haired friend over there.” She whispered against the girl’s lips. Then she stood up and walked back around the table, her hips swinging with confidence and her cheeks slightly flushed. She plopped back down in her seat as the maid scurried off. “I’ve ordered food and drink. The bill will be coming to you Master Dwili.” She said with a satisfied smile. The rest of the table burst into laughter. Even Thorin chuckled at the revelation that she’d done all that to win a bet and successfully bamboozle the youngest dwarf. Only Kili was found not laughing.  
“How the hell did you take that from me? I feel like there’s something I’m missing! I’ve made my way into plenty of skirts, and yet you stole that kiss from me like it was nothing! One moment she was laughing at my jokes and the next she’s to engulfed in your lips to to even remember my existence!” Kili exclaimed, which was the thing that finally broke Dwili out of his silent stupor and caused him to laugh. Not only that, Bilbo was laughing.   
“Kili, do you know what it’s like to be a barmaid? Especially one as pretty as her? Your methods were something textbook to her, my friend. Boring. She probably gets that kind of thing all the time and was just going with it because drunk men can get aggressive when they think they’re getting rejected. They get unwanted attention from men all the time and they have to go with it because they fear for their safety if they don’t. So if you’re genuinely trying to get somewhere and not just flirting for the fun of flirting, you’ve got to make yourself stand out. Do something different. Be bold with finesse. Do things with your body and notice what they respond to. Point something out about them that people normally wouldn’t notice. Blackberry stained lips for example. It’s so subtle. It’s simply something to make her feel a little prettier, a little more confident. When something like that gets noticed? It might mean the world to them. You’ll make her day and get yourself a berry flavored kiss out of the deal.” Ialwen explained, licking her lips and savoring the remaining taste of the kiss. Kili was dumbfounded.  
“Well how in the hell do you know all that?! Have you been a barmaid?” the dwarf prince asked, feeling exasperated.   
“Actually, she has. She used to take shifts at the Bird and Baby Inn in Hobbiton before she started hunting full time in the Shire. She’s speaking from experience.” Bilbo piped up. The barmaid came back and gave everyone what they’d ordered and Bilbo ended up tipping her a little extra. He knew how exhausting the work was and he knew the kind of things most barmaids had to deal with from Ialwen recounting her tales from the job. She also knew how happy it had made Ialwen when she got tipped a little extra. “Thanks for being patient with this lot, love. Keep the change for yourself.” He’d said. And Ialwen felt her heart melt. As the girl walked away, counting the money in her hands happily, Ialwen pulled her friend into a tight hug.   
“You’re so kind Bilbo… You probably just made her night.” She said, smiling wide. Bilbo chuckled and shot her a look.  
“Like you didn’t with that lovely little kiss you gave her?” He shot back playfully.   
“Come on now, you know I probably just confused her about herself more than she already was before that.”  
“Or made her realise something…” Came Dwili’s voice. “Look at your plate.” He added. Sure enough, there was a little bowl with what looked like fresh baked blackberry cobbler inside with a bit of whipped cream. Ialwen gasped.   
“Oh wow…. I hope she doesn’t think that I… Oh god I didn’t even realize… Excuse me for a moment.” Ialwen got up and left the table, heading for the bar. Fili looked confused.   
“What was that?” He asked. Dwili rolled his eyes.  
“She’s afraid that she’s just lead the girl on. She doesn’t want her to be hurt when she realizes that the kiss was simply in good fun. I don’t know why she didn’t think of that before if it’s so important to her…” Dwili said.   
“She doesn’t think sometimes. A lot of times actually. She says and does things based on her emotions and then regrets them later. She’s really very kind, and she fears hurting anyone. But that often conflicts with how she doesn’t think. How she does things based on her emotions. She’s a very emotional person. She’s lived since the start of the third age so she’s had plenty of time to be alone with her emotions. She seems to get more emotional as she ages. She refuses to even entertain the thought of passing over to the Grey Havens. She loves this land too much. She has so much love in her heart… I think that comes with her age as well. She loves everything. She wants to see the beauty in everything. She wants to hear everyone’s side of the story. And she doesn’t want to hurt anyone. She’d be too terrified to sleep if she didn’t go make sure her intentions were clear with that young woman.” Bilbo said. “Well, I guess the cat’s out of the bag how much I admire her. She’s like a sister to me.” He said with a chuckle and a sad smile. It was clear that his love for her was much more than brotherly. But that bridge had been crossed a long time ago. And Dwili understood. Dwili finally understood. God, he loved her. He loved her more than he loved even himself. He loved her so much he could cry. She was his One. And by Mahal’s grave, he’d make her his. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, I loved writing this chapter. It really was a lot of fun. I’m not very good at flirting in real life but, boy howdy can I write it. I just want to say thanks for the kudos I received on the last chapter, and I’d really appreciate more feedback. Plz. It motivates me. Okay bye.


	3. Of Smoke and Summer Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the excitement at dinner, Ialwen shares a smoke and a moment with Dwili, who is slowly realizing how deep he's in.

The rest of that night was filled with laughter and dancing and merrymaking. It seemed that the barmaid hadn’t minded the fun of Ialwen’s advances towards her. She’d been grateful for the fun and the help in figuring herself out. And in the end Ialwen had made a new friend.  
At the end of the night all the dwarves began to file into their rooms to sleep and Ialwen took the moment to step outside for a smoke and to brush her horse’s mane. She exited into the warm summer air and took a deep inhale. Bree smelled so much different from the Shire. The fresh flowery breezes had been replaced with the smell of chimney smoke. Ialwen couldn’t say she minded the change. It was different, but refreshing all the same. She walked over to the stables in the back and was surprised to find Dwili out there smoking and making sure the ponies had gotten fed. Ialwen smiled and grabbed her saddlebag off the copper hook on the wall. “Fancy meeting you here.” She said. She opened up the saddlebag and pulled out a small horse brush. She ran her hands through the bristles on the brush and then set the brush aside and pulled out her pipe and pouch of leaves which she had transferred to her saddlebag during the ride for easy access. She prepared her leaves, rolling them between her fingers before pressing them into the bowl of her wooden pipe. “Got a match? Mine are inside.” She asked her dwarven companion. He nodded and pulled a matchbook from his pocket.   
“Here, allow me.” He said, and then lit the match against the wall of the stables. Ialwen smiled and placed the bit of the pipe in between her lips, standing closer to Dwili and leaning down a bit so he could reach. He used the match to light the leaves of Shire grown pipe weed pressed into the bowl of her pipe. She hummed as the smoke began to rise, and then inhaled through the pipe. The smoke filled her mouth and lungs and made her feel warm and light and slightly dizzy. “What kind of leaf are you smoking?” Dwili asked upon smelling the smoke. It wasn’t like any tobacco he’d smelled that grew in the valleys of the blue mountains. Even just the smell of her smoke was slightly intoxicating.  
“It’s pipe weed grown in the Shire. It’s not tobacco. Although, I suspect tobacco would grow quite well in the Shire. There are different varieties, but this is the most common type. I grew it myself in my garden back home. I think you might find it a little more uplifting than simple tobacco. Give it a try.” Ialwen offered, passing her pipe over to Dwili. Dwili placed the pipe between his lips and noted the teeth marks on the end of her pipe. Ialwen seemed to be a nervous pipe chewer. He thought that was adorable. He could taste her mouth on the end of the pipe, the ale and the spices from the beef roast and the sweetness of the blackberry cobbler. That taste was even more addictive than anything they were smoking. But still, Dwili inhaled the smoke through the pipe and let it blow out of his nose like a dragon. The feeling was strange, but gentle.   
“I like that.” He said, letting the remains of the smoke fall out of his mouth. “I might have to borrow some of that.”   
“Well I brought seeds. With a little doctoring to the soil, you’ll be able to grow a patch at your home in Erebor.” Ialwen replied. “It’s one of the things from the Shire that I’ll never be able to give up.”  
“You really love that place, don’t you?” He asked, leaning against the gate of an empty stall.   
“Yeah… I do. It’s so beautiful there. The land is so bountiful and the soil is good. The people are friendly, if not a little judgey. The food is good and the parties are insane. You haven’t lived until you’ve attended a Hobbit celebration. Everyone will gather around the party tree, the inns will provide huge buffets and the ale will flow all night and into the morning. Music will play the whole time and people will drink and dance and drink and dance until they fall flat from exhaustion and drunkenness. Old Took used to have Gandalf do fireworks for his midsummer's eve parties. Gandalf makes the best fireworks.” Ialwen sighed as she reminisced, a dreamy smile spreading across her lips. Dwili made a mental note to ask Gandalf about his fireworks. He handed Ialwen her pipe back.  
“Well then we’ll just have to make this adventure quick so we can get you back there.” He said. But Ialwen shook her head.  
“The gesture is appreciated but I don’t even know if I’m going to go back. I’ve lived an insanely long life already, and I don’t want to live forever. If I make the trip to the undying lands one day, that’s exactly what will happen. I’ll live forever. I don’t think I could handle that. So I’m trying to make the most of my time. I want to travel. I want to see all of Middle Earth. Hell, I want to see all of Arda. And then once I’ve seen and experienced everything, I’ll die. I’ll die on my own terms and it will be perfect.” She said. Hearing her speak like that made Dwili happy and sad at the same time. He didn’t exactly know how to respond to that. He knew that Dwarves tended to live quite long, just like Elves. But he couldn’t even begin to imagine how it felt to know you’ll live forever and know the pain of watching your mortal loved ones die around you of sickness or old age and not being able to do a thing about it. He was brought out of thought by a question Ialwen asked, that was completely off topic if I’m being honest. “I know you said that I wouldn’t have to share your bed if I won the bet, but honestly, I wouldn't mind it. Actually, I’d like to ask if I can just for tonight. I have shared a bed with Bilbo before, but he has imbibed quite a good bit of ale. And he steals the covers and hogs the bed when he drinks before bed.” She admitted, going a little bit red. “It’s fine if you don’t want to, I can just put my bedroll out on the floor. I just don’t want to be kept up all night.” She added very quickly. It was an embarrassing thing to ask for her.   
“Of course. It’s fine. We can’t have you falling asleep on your horse tomorrow. But… um… if I might ask, when have you shared a bed with Bilbo?” Dwili asked, regarding her her request as no big deal but rather curious at that part, and also a little bit jealous of the Hobbit. He raised an eyebrow at her expectantly. She wasn’t going to get out of answering that question. She sighed.  
“I used to attend hunting competitions at the lodge in Archet. Bilbo always wanted to come with me to cheer me on since he knew how important it was to me. Truth be told he used to be in love with me. He knew I see him as a brother though. And these days it just makes him happy to see me happy. But anyway, I let him come with me a few times to those competitions and the lodge always provided free food and drinks for the competitors, but we had to rent our own room. Now, one of my conditions for allowing Bilbo to come with me was to let me pay for the room. A single bed room was really all I could afford back then, so we ended up sleeping in the same bed. Of course with all that free ale, I often ended up on the floor by morning because of Bilbo hogging the bed and stealing the blankets.” She chuckled. “I never won first prize when Bilbo went with me because of sleep deprivation.” She added on with another laugh. And then another. Soon she was full out chortling at the memories. And then Dwili was laughing with her. He had a very unique laugh, a bit high pitched. But when Ialwen heard it, she fell in love with the sound instantly and it just made her laugh even more. It was unbridled and happy and slightly obnoxious. But if a sound could glow with hope and youth and spirit, this one would’ve. It was quite unlike anything Ialwen had ever heard. She absolutely adored it.  
Ialwen grabbed the brush again and began to brush the tangles out of her horse’s mane. The two of them fell into a comfortable silence as they smoked and enjoyed each other’s company. They could hear only the sound of fires crackling, noises made by merchants cleaning up for the night, and by guards switching their shifts. There was the occasional snort from one of the ponies but nothing more. It was wonderful. Eventually Dwili let out a yawn though and Ialwen looked back at him to see his eyes drooping and sleepy. She was feeling rather drained herself. She did not need to sleep every night but it was something she had gotten used to in the Shire, having been given a bed to lay in every night. Like all elves, her sleep was not the same as men. It was more of a meditation of sorts. But it still replenished her in the same way. Most elves slept with their eyes open. She could remember many a night catching her friend Legolas asleep with his eyes open while on guard in the Greenwood. She didn’t know if Legolas could see while he slept but Ialwen always found that she fell so deep into the meditative trance that she could not. So she closed her eyes, unlike her kin. She knew the stars would watch over her and protect her. She trusted them, and she trusted in the Valar to protect her. She did not need to keep her eyes open.   
Ialwen reached over and wrapped her hand around her companion’s wrist. His skin was warmer than any she’d ever felt. She’d found that dwarves exuded warmth. It was comforting to her. “Come on. Let’s get some sleep. Don’t want you falling off your pony tomorrow morning.” She told him. Her hand moved down and grasped his, twining her long thin fingers with his shorter and thicker ones. She used her other hand to clean up and put away her pipe. They held hands until they made it inside when Ialwen had shut the inn room door behind them and suddenly remembered that she prefered to sleep in the buff. She bit her lip and sighed. She guessed her undershirt would have to do. It was quite thin though, and and it was a little chilly in the room. “I’ll be right back.” She whispered to Dwili, then silently stepped off to the washroom. Within, she turned the lamp light up a bit and then gazed at herself in the mirror as she began to undress. She removed her shirt and leggings, then looked at herself in the mirror again. There she stood in her white undershirt, a sleeveless piece almost like a slip that hung loosely on her body while still showing off her assets. Her underwear were made of the same material and went halfway down her thighs. It wasn’t as thin as the top, but it was still revealing. She groaned as the cold in the room began to get to her and her nipples became visible through the thin fabric clinging to her breast. She crossed her arms over her chest and bit her lip. She didn’t know why she was being so modest. Bilbo had seen her in nothing but her underclothes plenty of times. Hell, Gandalf had seen her in less before. She wasn’t really all that modest. She didn’t really find her body all that attractive, so she didn’t see the need to be modest about it. She didn’t believe the sight of it would ignite desires from people. Why now was she feeling self conscious about it? Because she was to be sharing a bed with Dwili, whom she’d just met? Because it was cold? Because she would probably be the least dressed in the room? Or… was it because she didn’t feel her body was attractive, when she’d be sharing a bed with someone who she desired to find her attractive? She tried to shake that out of her mind, but it was too late. The thought had crossed her mind and now she knew that was undoubtedly the reason. She scolded herself, told herself not to pay any mind to that anymore, that starting to like someone while on a dangerous quest would be nothing but trouble. There was also fear of being used, being taken advantage of. She’d experienced that before. She told herself to avoid the thoughts once more, to avoid being hurt. Then she gathered up her courage and exited the washroom after dimming the lamp.   
By the time Ialwen walked into the bedroom, Dwili had already removed his armor and crawled into the last empty bed. When he heard her enter the room, he looked up and his breath caught in his throat. There she stood, in her underclothes, bathing in the soft light of the moon filtering in through the window. His stomach jumped into his throat and he felt his blood rush south. He’d never seen something so beautiful, so tempting, so attractive. His mouth felt dry. He silently prayed to Mahal that he’d have the strength to keep from kissing her. To keep from showing her just how that sight made him feel.   
“What are you staring at?” Ialwen asked as she strode over and climbed onto the bed. Dwili was grateful she sat on top of the covers.   
“Ah…” Dwili shook his head and looked down at his lap. “Nothing. Just spacing out.”  
“Really? It looks like something’s bothering you…” Ialwen said. “Your cheeks are red…” She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his forehead. It was how Bilbo had always checked her for fever, and she’d picked up the habit. “Your skin is warmer than usual… are you sure you’re feeling okay?” She asked. She didn’t even take notice of how close she was to him, she was just focused on making sure her friend was okay. But Dwili’s composure was straining. She was so close, and her perfect lips were right there in front of him. He swallowed his desire and nodded.  
“I’m sure. I’m fine. It’s just a little warm in here is all.” He said, trying to cover for himself.  
“That’s odd, to me it feels cool. But I’ll prop the window for you, alright? I prefer the cool air anyway.” She said. Then she got off the bed and walked over to the window. She reached up to unlatch the window and her undershirt rode up, successfully showing off her waist, hips, and rear end. Dwili almost groaned as he watched her. He didn’t dare protest, out of fear that he might reveal himself. He just let her open the window and looked down at his lap. The night time summer air filtered into the room and Ialwen took a deep breath of it in. It filled her lungs and relaxed her, and the sounds of crickets and cicadas could be heard in the night. She smiled and turned back to the bed. She hopped in on Dwili’s side and crawled over his legs to her own side. “Better?” She asked him, to which he only nodded and gave a hum of approval. That seemed to be all she needed, for she nodded back and began to settle under the covers. “Well then I’m going to get some sleep.” She said, then laid her head down on her pillow.   
“I suppose I will as well…” Dwili murmured. “Goodnight Ialwen. Have pleasant dreams.” He said. Then he laid down his head as well and pulled the covers up to his shoulders. Although it seemed both of them had a hard time falling asleep. Ialwen was simply not used to sharing a bed, and Dwili couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that Ialwen was sleeping next to him. It was enough to keep any man awake really. 

 

Eventually the two of them had found sleep, and in the morning Ialwen woke to a feeling she’d never felt before. She was wrapped in the warmth of her sleeping companion. She was wrapped in his arms as well. He seemed to have wrapped them around her in his sleep. Ialwen had woken up first. Feeling his strong arms around her was unexpected, but Ialwen was too groggy from sleep to really let the realization hit her. Sure, it gave her butterflies in her stomach. But it was pleasant. In that moment, everything in the world felt right. At least to her. She felt as though nothing could ruin that moment, and she was content to lay there and not disturb the sleeping dwarf, whose beard was brushing the back of her neck and giving her goosebumps. She closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into his arms.  
She hadn’t noticed when she’d fallen asleep but when she opened her eyes again, Dwili was gone and Bilbo was gently shaking her shoulder. “Wake up Ialwen. It’s time to go. I know you don’t eat breakfast much so I told Dwili to let you sleep through breakfast.” He said as Ialwen blinked the sleep from her eyes. Letting out a yawn, she sat up and stretched her arms above her head.  
“Alright. Tell the others I’ll be down in a bit.” She said, looking around the room and noticing that the rest of the dwarves had already packed up and gone downstairs. She didn’t know how she hadn’t woken up. Bilbo eyed her attire nervously.  
“You slept in the same bed as a dwarf you met two days ago dressed in only your underclothes?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at her. “I know how I get when I drink but I would’ve taken the floor if you’d asked me…” Ialwen rolled her eyes at him.  
“No you wouldn’t have. You were completely passed out when I got back up to the room. Besides, I’m going to have to get used to having less modesty anyway. We’re going to be camping in the wilderness, I’m going to have to bathe in a creek at one point, I know it. But I’d rather not be alone if I’m going to be attacked by some form of beast while naked in a creek. These people are going to see me less than decent, I’ve come to terms with it. You should too.” Ialwen said. She got out of the bed and stretched out some more, a groan escaping her lips as she moved her muscles. “Anyway, thank you for letting me sleep. I’m going to get dressed now.” She added. She grabbed her backpack off the floor and moved into the bathroom, not bothering to close the door behind her.   
“Alright. I’ll go let the others know you’re awake.” Bilbo said with a sigh. He knew better than to argue with her. When she knew she was making a point, there was no swaying her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I've written about Ialwen's personality a lot and not about Dwili's enough. Don't worry, the next chapter is gonna have a lot of Dwili love. And more fussy Bilbo.

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, if you’ve made it this far I’m proud of ya. And welcome to the story. It’s my baby. I modeled Dwili after a very special person in my life, and I just... he’s my baby. I love him. Please be nice to him. And me. I’m weak uwu.


End file.
